Softball Game Preview: Mills Vikings vs. St. Ignatius College Preparatory Wildcats

Mills hasn't had much luck against St. Ignatius College Preparatory recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Vikings will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wildcats at 4:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Mills has four straight victories, St. Ignatius College Preparatory has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Mills barely beat Menlo-Atherton the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Vikings blew past the Bears 16-1 on Thursday. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten contests by seven runs or more this season.

Lucy Esquivel was incredible, going 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Audrey Jang, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two doubles and two RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Mills kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, St. Ignatius College Preparatory fell victim to Valley Christian and their airtight pitching crew two weeks ago. They took a 5-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Warriors. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Olivia Dollard spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.

Mills' win bumped their record up to 14-3-1. As for St. Ignatius College Preparatory, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-5.

Mills might still be hurting after the 7-1 loss they got from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Will the Vikings have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.